Education Quote by Erika Slezak

Erika Slezak is quietly puncturing a romantic myth the industry loves to sell: that acting is either a credentialed calling or a raw, god-given gift. Her phrasing sets up a small class critique without sounding bitter. “The advantage of going to a good drama school” lands like a raised eyebrow at privilege - not just money, but access to networks, confidence, and a ready-made stamp of legitimacy. Then she disarms the tension: “just decide that they want to be actors.” It’s a gentle jab at how choice can masquerade as destiny when the runway is already built for you.

The smart move is how she refuses the easy counter-position. She doesn’t elevate the scrappy outsider as more authentic, and she doesn’t dismiss training as elitist gatekeeping. “There’s nothing wrong with an untrained actor” is both a defense and a warning: you’re not disqualified, but you’re not exempt from the work. The repetition in “they have to” turns acting into labor, not vibe. Training isn’t a brand-name school; it’s the unavoidable process of learning craft, discipline, and stamina somewhere - onstage, on set, in rehearsal rooms that don’t come with prestige.

Coming from a long-running soap and stage career, the subtext feels especially pointed. Slezak’s world prizes repetition, speed, and consistency - the unglamorous mechanics of performance. Her intent isn’t to pick sides; it’s to reframe acting as a skill you earn, whether or not you had the “advantage” of being allowed to call it a choice in the first place.